Studio Policies

Dr. Jill Timmons – Studio Policies

Effective September 1, 2018 through June 28, 2018

Please read this carefully – new policies in place.

With some forty years of teaching and performing experience, I offer students a chance to develop their musicianship skills, performance competence, expand their knowledge and experience of piano repertoire, acquire greater technique, and find news ways of enjoying the process of music making. For more information regarding my performance and teaching career, visit my website: www.artsmentor.com. You may also find my recent publication through Oxford University Press a useful tool in your music or career preparation: The Musician’s Journey–Crafting Your Career Vision and Plan.

Coaching Sessions: Appointments are offered at Portland’s Classic Pianos on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9am and 6pm, and occasionally Tuesday or Friday mornings between 10am and 12noon, per availability. Currently, I am the resident Artist/Teacher Affiliate with Classic Pianos both at their flagship store in Portland and at their seven other stores nationwide. When I am in Portland, I provide local instruction in their state-of-the-art two-piano Recital Hall. Parking:Please park on SE 11thstreet or near the main entrance of Classic Pianos at 3003 SE Milwaukie, Portland, OR 97202. If your coaching session is before 10am when the store opens, please use the rear door on 11thstreet. Waiting area:In the lobby at Classic Pianos there is a waiting area for arrivals after 10am. Please schedule your arrival no earlier than 10 minutes before your coaching session.

Central Oregon Coast Studio: On most Mondays, and selected weekends I offer coaching in Netarts, Oregon, just an hour and 20 minutes from downtown Portland.This fall, I will be offering a new piano immersion—“The Piano Retreat.” Visit my website for more information about this three-hour session at my studio in Netarts, which includes a free overnight stay for one at the beach in my newly renovated guesthouse. Contact me for rates.

Studio Calendar: The teaching schedule follows the academic year with two “semesters”: Summer-Fall, and Winter-Spring. Coaching sessions are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis following acceptance by an audition/interview. Payment: Payment is made at the conclusion of each session and is made in the form of cash or check. Please make out all checks to Artsmentor, LLC. Cancellations:Cancellations require a 48-hour notice in advance of the lesson with the exception of an “Act of God” (“a direct, sudden action of natural forces that could not have been foreseen or prevented such as a flood, hurricane, earthquake, debilitating illness, death in the family, or other natural catastrophe outside of human control”). Otherwise there will be a 50% charge for the missed lesson. Since many of my clients are from out of state, it is challenging to offer a cancelled lesson time at the last minute to another client. As we schedule the fall roster for 2018, please review your own schedule for any possible cancellations and be thoughtful about the scheduling needs of others. Make-up lessons are per availability in the schedule.

Instruction: Students are expected to be thoroughly prepared for each coaching session, having practiced their assigned material. Practice expectations will be determined per the level and goals of each student. Students who consistently come unprepared or frequently cancel lessons may be dropped from the studio. Your fee covers all playing classes plus any ancillary phone/text/emails that require a brief response from me. If you need more than 5 minutes outside the lesson time, I will ask that you schedule a separate appointment with me, with 30 minutes being the minimum. Please note that a new fee schedule will be in place January 1, 2019. Contact me for more information.

Snow Days: If the Portland Public Schools are cancelled, then your lesson is cancelled.I will make every effort to schedule a make-up lesson. We will be in touch via email or phone/text concerning those hazardous weather conditions.

Holidays: No lessons on all major national holidays. Please note that for 2018-2019 there are no lessons the week following Labor Day, during the Thanksgiving week, and Portland Public Schools March spring break.For the summer/fall schedule, the last day of lessons is Thursday, December 20. Lessons will resume on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, and will run until Friday, June 28.

Books and Supplies: Students are responsible for obtaining all assigned material. On occasion, you may check out music or other references from my studio library.

Recitals: Students are invited to participate in all studio recitals and various playing classes. These offerings are included in the lesson charge. Special topic workshops, however, are offered at a separate fee. I may recommend attendance at certain guest artist master classes and regional concerts as well.

Teacher Absence: On occasions, I must reschedule lessons due to my own performances or residencies. I will notify you well in advance of your lesson time, usually at least a month ahead. I will make every effort to offer a make-up time.

CONTACTING ME: During the week, I do not check text/phone/email messages after 8pm until 8am the following day nor do I work on Sundays. I resume talk/text/email at 8am on Monday mornings.